Washboard



(No Model;)

M. S. OADWELL. WASHBOARD.

No. 585,183. Patented June 29, 1897.

Inmnior flan WV 5. C ad w Z3 UNITED STATES I MARVIN S. CADIVELL, OF LANSING, MICHIGAN.

WASHBOARD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 585,183, dated June 29, 1897.

Application filed June 1 '7, 1 8 95.

T0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARVIN S. CADWELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lansing, in the county of Ingham and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in WVashboards, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawlngs.

The invention consists in the construction of a washboard, and particularly in the rubbing-surface thereof, comprising a back or board grooved on its front face and having secured in the grooves metallic strips,portions of the tops of which project slightly above the face of the board.

The invention further consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of the various parts.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a board embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical central longitudinal section therethrough. Fig. 3 is a sectional perspective illustrating the construction of the rubbing-surface. Fig. 4 is a sectional perspective illustrating a slightly-modified form, and Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the rub- ,bing-strip shown in Fig. 4.

A are the sides, B the cross-bars, O the soap-box, and D the back or board, of a was11- board, these parts being arranged and constructed in the well-known manner of constructing such washboards, except as hereinafter described.

Upon the front face of the back or board D, I form a series of shallow grooves E, ex tending from side to side and preferably slightly inclined from the horizontal, as shown in Fig. 1, when the board is in its vertical position. At the lower end of these grooves I form a vertical groove F, leading to the bottom, through which the water in the horizontal grooves will drain. The inclination of the horizontal grooves is slight, being just sufficient to slowly drain the board, so that when it is out of use the water will not stand around the metallic rubbing-strips, hereinafter described. These rubbing-strips I preferably form of metallic pieces, as shown in Figs. 1,

2, and 3, by making an open wire spiral or Serial No 553,128. (No model.)

coil G of a diameter slightly greater than the depth of the groove. These spirals I then force into the grooves, as shown in Fig. 3, so that the top thereof will project above the face of the back or board and form a rough rubbing-surface. By forcing these spirals into the grooves slightly more than half of their diameter I find that no other securing means is required than simply the friction of the spirals against the side of the grooves.

Instead of making a spiral wire to obtain this rubbing-surface I get substantially the same construction by taking a strip of sheet metal, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, and striking up portions thereof to leave the ribs I substantially corresponding to the top portion of the spiral, when the strip thus formed is bent into the arched shape shown in the last-named figures. These strips may be secured by slipping them into dovetail sections J in the face of the board or may be otherwise secured to give the same forward projection of the ribs or bars above the surface. Between the grooves are the plain ribs K.

With a board thus constructed I obtain a rubbing-surface composed of a separated series of curved ribs or bars projecting above the flat surface of the board. The grooves in which these ribs or bars are secured serve to hold sufficient water on the face of the board to make the washing much more satisfactory, While at the same time a free drainage is obtained, which could not be effected with solid bars, and a much more effective rubbing-surface is produced by these projecting ribs than can be obtained by unbroken longitudinal or transverse ribs upon the board, nor will the same effect be had if the grooves in the board are omitted.

What I claim as my invention is 1. A washboard comprising a back, transverse ribs and spiral rubbing-strips fixedly secured between the ribs and projecting above the plane thereof, substantially as described.

2. A washboard comprising a back portion having a series of transverse ribs thereon forming intermediate grooves and pieces of metal placed in the grooves of a length to extend across the back portion and of a size to tightly fit in the grooves and project beyond the outer faces of the ribs their projecting portions being formed into a series of separate arches.

3. A Washboard comprising a back portion having transverse ribs therein and rubbingstrips consisting of pieces of material extending across the back fixedly secured between the ribs and held from movement therein the upper faces of the strips arranged on a plane above the ribs and formed of a series of sep- IO arated curved portions, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MARVIN S. CADWELL. \Vitnesses:

JAMES WHITTEMORE, M. B. ODoGHERTY. 

